Tympano



`June 27, 1933.

Filed June 3, 1952 L. B. GREENLEAF TYMPANO 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ditto z mm1 `lune 27, 1933. I 1 B GREENLEAF 1,916,123

TYMPANO Filed June 3, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nwntoz s@ fm @1f/mm.

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Patented June 27, 1933 Unire errer y Llflfr ELKIEARTX TNB- JIA, A COPEGRATT 0F INDIANA TYIVIPANO Application le. June 3, 1932. Serial No. 615,193.

This invention relates to musical instruments, and particularly to tympano or kettle drums.

The principal object of my invention is yto provide improved means for tuning the resonant member of va tympano or kettle drum? said means including a vertically movable draught screw.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for tuning the resonant member of a ty-mpanol or kettle drum, said means including a draught screw and nut removably mounted in the drum pedestal.

A third object of the invention is to provide antiiriction bearing means for a tympano or kettle drum. i

`Another object of the invention is to pro-v vide improved means for tuning the resonant member of a tympano, said means be ing removable with the drum from a pedestal member.

A further object is to provide a tympano or kettle drum which is provided with improved means ;tor tuning orptensioning the resonant member of the drum, said tuning means and drum constituting a unit, and wherein the drum and tuning means is removable from a pedestal without impairing the tension on the resonant member ot the drum.

Still another object is to provide, in a tympano, a readily removable unit composed of the drum unit and the drum head tensioning means, the latter comprising a draught screw and draught nut.

Other and more specitic objects of the in vention are mentioned and describedherein.

The preferred en'ibodimentotmy invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawin gs, wherein Figure l illustrates a sideelevational view of the tympano wherein the invention is incorporated;

Fig. 2 illustrates a fragmental elevational view ci the` draught screw7 the drum nest or carrier, the `draught screw nut, anti-friction bearing element, and the base tal, partially in section;

Fig. 3 illustrates a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

unit or pedes- Fig. t illustrates a view of the: draught screw and stop screw mounted thereonyand Fig. 5 illustrates two views lof theV draught nut and dowel pim7 i iounted therein.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views on the drawing. j i

Referring now to the details of the'drawings the numeral l indicates the metal shell or body of the `kettle drum7 the open top whereoiQ is normally closed by a resonating head or shin 2 which is attached to the usualA annular llesh hoop 3, the latter cooperating Y with a circularly arranged plurality of manually actuated adjusting means whereby the drum head 2 may be stretched and tuned over the usual vrim of the drum body l in any ordinary tuning operation on the instrument. l

ln the construction illustrated in Figure l the nume-ral lindicates generally each setoi the adjusting units above referred to, each of said sets comprising the annular flanged counter hoop beneath wliiclithe iriesh hoop 3 is arranged; a handled screw element 6 journaled in a bearing lug 7 rigidly mountedl on the hoop 5 with its screw threaded end 0peratively engaging in a nut 8 which is pivotally mounted in the upper arms ot a double armed bell cranl; lever 9. i

rlhe bell crank lever 9 is pivotally mounted in the bearing element or lug l0 rigidly `secured to the exterior face of the drum body l and thel lower arms of said lever have a trunnion'element ll swivelly mounted therebetween,` with which trunnion element one of a plurality of tension rods l2 is adjustably connected by screw thread connection.` The rods l2 traverse suitable openings in thedrum body l and converge upon and are operatively connected with a tension hub 13 within the V mounted upon a dish-likenest or carrier element 17 and may be secured thereto in any suitable manner, as is well known in the art, said nest or carrier member being provided 5 with the central upstanding hub 18 which is axially bored at 19 to admit the passage of the lower end of the draught screw therethrough, said hub 18 projecting through a suitable aperture in the drum'body, and said draught screw being sli dably secured within the hub bore 19 by any suitable means, such as a key 20, which key may be rigidly connected with the screw 15 and which may be in slidable engagement with Athe key-way 20 15 formed in the wall of the hub bore 19, whereby said screw is rendered rotatable with the drum nest 17 and drum shell but vertically movable independently thereof.

The nest o-r carrier element 17 may be pro- 20 vided with a bottom hub 21 which cooperates with ,the rocker member 22 which is tiltably connected with the column member 23, the latter being adjustably mounted in the base housing 24 for supporting the drum unit,

25 as hereinafter described.

The lower end ,of the draught screw 15 is threaded through an annular stationary draught nut 25 which is removably seated 1n an annular recess 26 provided in the rocker member 22, the upper edge of said draught nut projecting slightly above the upper at face `'of said rocker member and being engaged by the lower ring-like element of aball bearing unit 27 which is arranged in the ball bearing chamber 28 formed in hub member 21 and through which said draught screw extends.

The draught nut 25 may be held against rotation by a pair of opposed dowel pins 29` which detachably engage in suitable bearing apertures 30 provided in the floor of the recess 26 in the rocker member 22. Casual disengagement of the nut 25 from its bearing recess 26 is prevented by the retaining screws 31 which may be threaded diametrically through the rocker ele-ment 22 at suitable intervals, the point of each of said screws engaging .an endless circumferential Jgroove, 32 formed in .the outer periphery ofv said draught nut.

The upper end of the column 23 may be forked at 33 and the cooperating forks 34 onk .the under side of rocker. element 22 coact with `said column forked section and are pivotally connectedtherewith by a pair of pivot screws or pins 35, only one of which is illustrated, but which are well known lin this art. The lower end of the draught screw 15vis arranged in the opening 36 formed in the head portion of therocker 22 axially of the nut recess 26 and in communica-tion'there-r with, said opening` 36 being also in communication with the space :between the forks 33 of `colu-mn23 to admit downward'movement of the screw 15 into 4'said space.

'The numeral 37 indicates ya headed stop element, of screw construction, which is provided with a reduced threaded portion 38 which is removably threaded into the lower end of the draught screw 15 axially thereof, the head of said stop screw being adapted to engagethe under surface of the head or body of the rocker 22 to limit upward movementof the draught screw. 'The head of the stop screw 37 may be provided with one .or more tool recesses 39 to enable -r-emovlalfthereof from the screw 15. The numeral 40 indicates a clamping screw suitably.l mounted in the forked connection between the rocker'22 l and the column 23 to clamp said rocker, and thereby the drum 1, in any desired tilted position, as is well known in this art,-.and which forms no part of this invention.

The column 23 is vertically adjustable in i the housing socket 24 and a set screw 41 may be utilized to maintain such adjustment. A plurality of pedestal or foot elements 42 may be pivotally connected with the housing member 24 in any suitable manner.

A very important feature of thisinventionresides in the removability of the drum unitv and the means connected therewith for actuating` the tuning devices 4, from the pedestal element 22, not only because such removability facilitates shipment )and transportation thereof, but also because the tension, or tuned condition of the drum head f 2 is not impaired t'o any degree ,by such removal or while said unit isV in transit.

- From the foregoing descriptive matter anc the disclosure it will be evident that manual rotation of the drum body or shell causes vertical sliding movement of' thek draught screw 15 in the bearing bore 19, whereby the tension rods 12 and the tuning devices 4 arel actuatedthereby regulating the tension on the vSkinhead 2. It will also be evident that the drum unit, the screw 15, and draught nut-25. may be bodily separated from the pedestal or base unit 22, upon removal of the stop screw 37 from the draught screw.

I claim:

1. In a tympano, in combination, a drum shell, a resonant head therefor, a ,headhoop encirclingthe drum shell rim, a plurality of V ltuning devices in operative engagement with -said hoop, 7a Vluralit'y of `tension rods equal in num er to said tuning noi operatively connected with the latter, and means for actuating said tension rods as a unit to actuate said tuning devices, said means comprising an axially movable draught screw which is rotatable with said drum shell, said draught screw being operatively connected with said tension rods. y

. 3. In atympano, in combination, a' drum shell, a resonant head therefor, a head hoop encircling' the drum shell rim, a plurality of tuning devices in operative engagement with said hoop, a plurality of tension rods equal in number to said tuning devices and operatively connected with the latter, a mount for said drum shell and means for actuating said tension rods as a unit to actuate said tuning devices, said means comprising a draught screw, said draught screw being operatively connected with said ten sion rods, said draught screw being movable axially of said drum shell. mount.

4. ln a tympano, in combination, a drum shell, a resonant head therefor, a head hoop encircling the drum shell rim, a plurality of tuning devices in operative engagement with said hoop, a plurality o tension rods equal in number to said tuning devices and operatively connected with the latter, and means for actuating said tension rods as a unit to actuate said tuning devices, said means comprising an axially movable draughtl screw which is rotatable with said drum shell, and a tension hub mounted upon the upper end ot said draught screw and with which 'said tension rods are operatively connected.`

5. ln a tympano, in combination, a drum shell, a resonant head therefor, a head hoop encircling the drum shell rim, a plurality of tuning devices in operative engagement with said hoop, a plurality of tension rods equal in number to said tuning devices and operatively connected with the latter, means for actuating said tension rods as a unit to actuate said tuning devices, said means comprising an axially movable draught screw which is rotatable with said drum shell and a tension hub mounted upon the upper end of said draught `screw and with which said tension rods are operatively connected, and stop .means to limit the axial movement of said draught screw.

6. ln a t-ympano, in combination, a drum shell, a resonant head therefor, a head hoop encircling the drum shell rim, a plurality of tuning devices in operative engagement with said hoop, a plurality of tension rods equal in number to said tuning devices and operatively connected with `the latter, means for actuatin said tension rods as` a unit to actnate said tuning devices, said means coinprising an axially movable draught screw which is rotatable with said drum shell and .a tension hub mounted upon the upper end of said draught screw and with which said tension rods are operatively connected, and

stop means removably connected with said draught screw to limitthe axial movement ot the latter. y Y

7. In atympano, 1n combination, a drum shell, a resonant head theretor, a head hoop encircling the ldrum shell rim, a plurality of Y `anti-friction bearing means interposed between said drum shell and said pedestal, and

means for actuating said tension rods as a Y unit to actuate said tuning devices, said means comprising a draught screw mounted 'sov in said pedestal and rotatable with said v drum shell, said draught screw being operatively connected with said tension rods.

8. ln a tympano, in combination, a drum shell, a resonant head therefor, a head-hoop encircling the drum shell rim, a plurality of l tuning devices in operative engagement with said hoop, a plurality of tension rods equal in number to said tuning devices and operatively connected with the latter, a pedestal, and means tor actuating said tensionrods as a unit to actuate said tuning devices, said means comrising a draught nut mounted in said pedestal and an axially movable draught screw connected with said draught nut and rotatable with said drum shell, said draught screw being operatively connected with said tension rods.

9. In a tympano, in combination, a drum shell, a resonant head therefor, a head hoop encircling the drum shell rim, a plurality of tuning devices in operative engagement with said hoop, a plurality of tension rods equal in number to said tuning devices and operatively connected with the latter, a pedestal, and means for actuating said tension rods as a unit to actuate said tuning devices,

said means comprising a circumterentially groove-d draught nut mounted in said pedes-y tal, an axially movable draught screw connected with said draught nut and rotatable with said drum shell, said draught screw being operatively connected withnsaid tension rods, and means engaging said ldraught nut groove to prevent displacement thereof trom said pedestal. i

l0. ln a tympano, in combination, a drum shell,a resonant head therefor, a head hoop encircling the drum shell rim, a plurality of tuning devices in operative engagement with said hoop, a plurality of tension rods equal in number to said tuning devices and operatively connected with the latter, a pedestal, and means for actuating said tension rods as a unit to actuate said tuning devices, said means comprising a circumferentially grooved draught nut mounted in said pedestal, means to prevent rotation of said draught nut, and axially movable draught screwl oo nnected with said draught nut and rotatable eoy on Lu shell, a resonant head therefor, a head hoop encircling` the drum shell rima plurality of tuning devices in operative engagement with said hoop, a plurality of tension rods equal innumber to said tuning devices and operas tively connected with'the latter, a pedestal, and meansfor actuating said tension rods as a unit to actuate said tuning devices, Said means comprising a draught nut lremovably mounted in said pedestal ,and an axially mov- 'able `draught screw connected .with said draught nut and rotatabvlegwith said drum shell7 said draught .screw being operatively connected With said tension rods.

LELAND B. GREENLEAF. 

